It is believed that a fuel cell consists of two electrodes sandwiched around an electrolyte. It is believed that oxygen, from air, passes over one electrode and hydrogen, from storage device, passes over the other electrode, that, in a chemical reaction, generates electricity, water and heat.
This invention relates to a bypass control valve for a fuel cell in general, and more particularly to a bypass control valve containing a main flow passage having a valve member, controlled by a non-contact position sensor, that diverts flow to a bypass passage.
The present invention provides for a bypass flow control valve that controls a flow of air or any other type of gas for a fuel cell. The bypass control valve includes a wall that defines a first passage disposed along a first axis. The first passage has a first portion, a second portion, and a transitional portion disposed between the first and second portion. The transitional portion has a first port, a pivot point, and an annular locking member proximate the transitional portion, with the first port having a sealing surface disposed thereon. The bypass control valve also includes a first bypass passage disposed along a second axis oblique to the first axis. The first bypass passage has a second port, which projects into the transitional portion and which has a sealing surface and a receiver portion. The receiver portion is coupled to the locking members. The bypass control valve further includes a closure member having a first planar surface and a second planar surface with at least one elastomeric member disposed on each of the first planar surface and the second planar surface. The closure member is preferably pivotally attached to the pivot point and movable between a first position, with the first planar surface contiguous to the first port to permit fluid communication between the first portion and the first bypass passage and to prevent fluid communication between the first portion and the second portion, and a second position, with the second planar surface contiguous to the second port to permit fluid communication between the first portion and the second portion and to prevent fluid communication between the first portion and the first bypass passage. The bypass control valve also includes an actuator, which is operable to rotate the closure member between the first position and the second position. The actuator has a shaft coupled to the closure member and extending through the wall to the pivot point along a third axis orthogonal to the first and second axis.
There is also provided a method of controlling bypass flow of air or any type of gaseous medium in a first passage to a second passage oblique to the first passage. In a preferred embodiment, the first passage has a closure member pivotally attached to a boss portion of the first passage. The method can be achieved by positioning the closure member in two positions to control the flow path. In the preferred embodiment, the method can be achieved by providing a first flow path between a first portion, a transition portion, and a second portion of the first passage; providing a second flow path between the first portion and a first bypass port of the second passage that extends into the transition portion of the first passage; positioning the closure member in the first portion that provides a fluid-tight seal between the first passage and the first bypass port to occlude flow through the second passage, thereby allowing flow through the first flow path; and positioning the closure member in the transition portion that provides a fluid-tight seal between the first passage and the second portion to occlude flow through the second portion, thereby allowing flow through the second flow path.